76 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



specimens of americanus labeled rugipennis, in the collection of the Mon- 

 treal Natural History Society, and from records of the capture of rugipennis 

 in other localities at dates corresponding with the time of appearance of 

 americanus here. However, as our Meloes resemble each other very 

 closely, and as the description of rugipennis did not seem to suit the 

 specimens labeled as that species, I did not feel justified in trusting to 

 my own judgment in the matter, and sent a specimen of each species to 

 Dr. LeConte, with the request that he would determine them for me. 

 Having examined them, Dr. LeConte informed me that my determination 

 of angiisticoUis was correct, and with his consent, I give the following 

 corrected synonymy, which he very kindly sent to me : 



" I. M. ANGUSTicoLLis Say = r//g-/))^//!///^ Lee. --Punctures of head and 

 prothorax coarse and deep. This has been considered by some author, 

 as = VIOLACEOUS Marsham. of Europe, but I have not compared them ; 

 one specimen in my collection was thus labeled. 



" 2, M. AMERICANUS Lcach — angusticollis Lee. Punctures very fine 

 and prothorax still narrower." 



As Say's description of angusticollis is very good, I give it for the benefit 

 of those who may not have access to the work in which it is given, viz.. 

 Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phil., 3, 280 : 



" Meloe angusticollis. Thorax narrower than the head, elytra and ab- 

 domen violaceous. Inhabits Pennsylvania. Body dark violaceous, 

 punctured; head with profound punctures; an impressed, longitudinal, 

 abbreviated, acute frontal line, and a transverse, elevated, obtuse one 

 connecting the bases of the antennte. Thorax slender, narrower than the 

 head, profoundly punctured, widest rather before the middle, and narrowed 

 at tip and base ; base emarginate and slightly margined. Elytra rugulose 

 dark bluish-violaceous. Feet slightly hairy ; spines of the tibia and nails 

 ferruginous. Abdomen slightly rugulose, dark greenish or violaceous ; 

 tergum, each side black, opaque." 



M. americanus Leach is a smoother and more delicate looking insect 

 than angusticollis, and the blue is inclined to shade into green in certain 

 lights, especially on the head and thorax ; the punctures are so fine as to 

 be almost invisible to the naked eye (in angusticollis the coarseness of the 

 punctures give it a slightly roughened appearance). The acute, impressed 

 frontal line, so characteristic of angusticollis, is wanting in americanus, and 

 altogether it is a softer and more oily-looking insect. 



